James Sherwood At The Piano
From the moment James Sherwood comes on stage he is completely in control of the room and the show never flags as he entertains with his carefully crafted songs and routines. If Radio 4 ever had to make a comedian in a laboratory James Sherwood could be the final product. He is well aware of who makes up his audience and he balances his more idiosyncratic routines with a gentle mocking of middle class concerns.
Not a word is wasted in the entire show and even when bantering with the audience Sherwood is witty and concise. His poster compares him to Marcus Brigstocke but despite his cynicism there is a gentleness with Sherwood that makes him much easier to like and allows the truly barbed comments to be all the funnier and unexpected. Sherwood is reminiscent of a young Stephen Fry: intelligent, erudite and possessing a singular charm that allows him to keep the audience onside both while harshly cutting down his targets and when he chooses to indulge in deliberately terrible puns.
There are many laugh out loud and memorable moments in this show. Sherwood entertains with a brilliant demonstration of his keyboard’s demo button, misheard lyrics and many more songs that show off his talent as both a composer and a lyricist. If there is one complaint to be made it is that perhaps he has got a little too comfortable with his audience. His laidback demeanour prevents the show from ever reaching and sustaining the gut-busting levels of humour that he is capable of. Nevertheless he is head and shoulders above most of his comedic peers, musical or otherwise, and you can guarantee that an hour with James Sherwood is an hour filled with intelligence, warmth and class.
The GRV, 7 – 30 August, 7.00pm, Tickets: £5
Jon Brittain